A thrift store hypothetical question... - Beyond Tiki

I ikitnrev Tiki Socialite D.C. / Virginia Joined: Jul 27, 2002 Posts: 1325	I ikitnrev Posted posted on Thu, Jun 3, 2004 8:53 PM Case exmamples -- two different people Person A, influenced by the high prices and financial success of Thomas Kincaid paintings, watches some public access art shows, spends $1000 on painting supplies, and paints 100 paintings, with the idea of selling them for $300 each and getting a nice profit. Even though he thinks his paintings look fine, he ends up selling only 3 or 4 of them, at discounted prices. He feels he is a failure. He drives to a thrift in a community where nobody knows him, and donates the paintings to a thrift store, mostly so he can say he made a donaton to charity on next year's tax forms. Person B .... retired, financially stable, but has lots of free time on his hand. He spends most of his money on painting supplies, and paints. He leaves his paintings on deserted street corners late at night, or in thrift store donation bins, or even gives away his paintings to customers at the local coffeee shop. He refuses to take money for his artwork, as his reward comes from the smiles of the people who unexpectedly find his artwork. Even if people in reality hate his artwork, and toss them in the trash when he is not looking, he is under the illusion that he is making the world a better place. Under the above scenarios, person A is the more successful professional artist - as he has actually sold several paintings. But I would argue that person B is the real artist, because art is not just about creating a product to sell, but about creating a lifestyle and an environment about you that speaks to your own unique dreams, even if nobody else understands that dream. Vern

Case exmamples -- two different people

Person A, influenced by the high prices and financial success of Thomas Kincaid paintings, watches some public access art shows, spends $1000 on painting supplies, and paints 100 paintings, with the idea of selling them for $300 each and getting a nice profit.

Even though he thinks his paintings look fine, he ends up selling only 3 or 4 of them, at discounted prices. He feels he is a failure. He drives to a thrift in a community where nobody knows him, and donates the paintings to a thrift store, mostly so he can say he made a donaton to charity on next year's tax forms.

Person B .... retired, financially stable, but has lots of free time on his hand. He spends most of his money on painting supplies, and paints. He leaves his paintings on deserted street corners late at night, or in thrift store donation bins, or even gives away his paintings to customers at the local coffeee shop. He refuses to take money for his artwork, as his reward comes from the smiles of the people who unexpectedly find his artwork.

Even if people in reality hate his artwork, and toss them in the trash when he is not looking, he is under the illusion that he is making the world a better place.

Under the above scenarios, person A is the more successful professional artist - as he has actually sold several paintings. But I would argue that person B is the real artist, because art is not just about creating a product to sell, but about creating a lifestyle and an environment about you that speaks to your own unique dreams, even if nobody else understands that dream.

Vern

Post #94501 by ikitnrev on Thu, Jun 3, 2004 8:53 PM